Keep food poisoning at bay at your parties!

If you’re hosting some parties this year, here are a few tips to ensure that people remember your meal for all the right reasons!

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, four million Canadians (i.e. one out of eight people) get a food-borne illness every year. While this may not have serious consequences for healthy individuals, food poisoning can be very serious for the elderly, pregnant women, young children and people with a compromised immune system (e.g. cancer or organ transplant patients).

To ensure your foods are safe, follow these four steps:

1) Clean: Wash your hands and work surfaces thoroughly. This is the best way to avoid the spread of bacteria. No need for antibacterial products; water and regular soap are sufficient. Don’t forget to change your kitchen linens regularly (or use paper towels).

2) Separate: It’s important to use one set of utensils, containers and cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and a separate set for fresh produce and foods that are ready to eat.

3) Cook: Foods must reach an internal temperature high enough to kill any bacteria they may contain. Use a food thermometer to make sure your foods are well-cooked.

4) Chill: Bacteria multiply fastest at room temperature. Promptly refrigerate any leftovers to make sure the foods will still be safe and delicious when reheated.

For more information on food safety, including the temperatures that must be reached and how long foods can be stored, visit the Be Food Safe website.

Babies and young children do not have the ability to blow their noses effectively. Nasal secretions can therefore accumulate in the nasal passages, especially when the child has a cold. This predisposes them to complications such as middle ear infections. Nasal hygiene involves flushing the nasal cavities with a saline solution to prevent these complications, to make the child more comfortable (when nursing or sleeping), and to reduce the frequency and duration of colds.

The drugs and pharmaceutical services featured on the familiprix.com website are offered by pharmacists who own the affiliated pharmacies at Familiprix. The information contained on the familiprix.com site is for informational purposes only and does not in any way replace the advice and advice of your pharmacist or any other health professional. Always consult a health professional before taking or discontinuing medication or making any other decision. Familiprix inc. and the proprietary pharmacists affiliated with Familiprix do not engage in any way by making this information available on this website.

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